Liberty State Park Ferry Terminal Reconstruction

Liberty State Park Ferry Terminal Reconstruction

City of Jersey City, Hudson County, NJ

Liberty State Park is one of the highest-visited state parks in New Jersey and is home to the Central Railroad New Jersey (CRRNJ) Terminal and Ferry Terminal, both of which are listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The ferry terminal, consisting of ferry house platforms, fender rack piers, and timber access bridges, was utilized for transferring millions of immigrants that came through Ellis Island. By the turn of the 20th century, it was used daily by thousands of commuters to reach the island of Manhattan. The ferry terminal sustained significant damage from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and reconstruction of the facility was a high priority, especially since the Park was designated as one of the sites for emergency evaluation of Manhattan, following September 11, 2001.

Maser Consulting was retained to provide engineering design services for the reconstruction of the ferry terminal and the dredging of the area to provide boat access into and adjacent to the slips and docks. Our scope included 3D Laser Scanning and an existing conditions inspection survey, including underwater diving, of the dilapidated piers. Using remote sensing, the dolphins and pier data was collected from the safety of the shore without the need for additional marine equipment. Services also included geotechnical soils analysis, full waterfront and structural engineering services, and construction administration.